BCCI suspends Kundra, keeps cheergirls out for now

The Board of Cricket Control of India (BCCI) today suspended Rajasthan Royal's “minority stakeholder” Raj Kundra pending probe and decided not to have cheerleaders and after-match parties in T20 league.

The Board of Cricket Control of India (BCCI) on Monday suspended Rajasthan Royal's “minority stakeholder” Raj Kundra pending probe and decided not to have cheerleaders and after-match parties in T20 league.

The decision to suspend Kundra was taken at the BCCI working committee meeting following his alleged confession to the Delhi police that he had placed bets to the tune of Rs. 1 crore on T20 league matches during past three years.

The committee has assigned the Kundra probe to the two-member panel, comprising justice T Jayaram Chouta and justice R Balasubramanian, which is currently investigating Meiyappan and CSK roles in the betting racket.

Meanwhile, Raj Kundra's counsel Majeed Memon termed the BCCI decision “hasty” and “shocking” and said, "The decision violates the principals of natural justice… We will challenge the suspension order. But only after I see the order." He said, “Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar has gone on record saying that the police have no material evidence against Kundra to book him. But BCCI's 'super court' rushed to take a decision against him.”

It may be recalled that the Royals franchise had already distanced itself from Kundra on Friday, saying he was a minority shareholder (11.7% stakes) and would forfeit his shares if found guilty. Among other decisions, the BCCI elected Ravi Sawant as the new board treasurer in place of Ajay Shirke, who quit along with secretary Sanjay Jagdale on May 31 in the wake of the pot fixing scandal.